ob ottumwa



LEON R. CLAUSEN AND ROBERT E. BOWERS,

OF OTTUMWA, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO THE DAIN MANUFACTURING- GOMPANY OF IOWA, 0F OTTUMWA, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

HAY-STAGKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1919.

Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial N 0. 100,230.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, LnoN R. CLAUSEN and ROBERT E. Bownns, citizens of the United States, and residents of Ottumwa, in the county of W'apello and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Stackers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to improvements in that type of hay-stackers generally known as over-shot machines. In such machines the stacking of the hay is accomplished by the employment of a swinging or pivoted carrier-frame provided with a toothed head that receives the hay to be stacked, after which the carrier-frame is swung to a substantially vertically dischargingposition by power applied thereto through suitable lever mechanism actuated by a hoisting rope or cable. It has been common to provide such carrier-frames with toothed stacker-heads so mounted thereon or secured thereto as to be capable of being projected or retracted in orde to better adapt them to properly deliver the bay to a stack being built or formed. This operation of adjusting the stacker-head, as ordinarily performed, is a tedious as well as a time-consuming one, and the leading object of our invention is to provide a simple and conveniently located mechanism that will enable an attendant to more quickly and with comparative ease manipulate the stacker-head frame so that it may be projected or retracted to adjust it to conform to the height of the stack'being formed. 'It'is a further object of the'inven tion to provide improved means for locking the stacker-head of the carrier-frame in any position to which it may be adjusted. These leading objects are accomplished by the con struction and arrangement of devices hereinafter specifically described. Those things that are believed to be new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings,

, Figure 1 is a plan view of a hay-stacker of the type referred to in which our invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

i Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom view of the forward portion of the pivoted carrierframe of the machine and a portion of the stacker-head carried by such frame;

Figs; 4; and 5 are details, being enlarged sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail showing the construction of the adjusting lever by which the carrier-frame is adjusted, and showing also the means by which such lever is utilizcd as a locking device to hold the adjustable part of the carrier-frame in any position to which it may be adjusted,the shaft on which such lever is mounted being shown in section.

In the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated by like reference characters 10 indicates the side sills of a base frame. 11 an end sill connecting therear ends of the side sills 10, and 12 and 13, cross-bars extending between said side sills, the crossbar 13 being an axle upon which are mounted a' pair of supporting wheels 14. Runners 17 near the rear end of the base frame furnish additional support. 18 are upright truss members rising one from each side sill, with each of which are connected struts l920. 21 and 22 are lifting levers pivotally connected to and rising from the base the lever 21 being shown as-pivoted upon the front cross-bar or axle 13 and the other lever pivoted upon the uprights 18-. Each of these levers consists preferably of two members arranged in inverted V-shape, as shown, and suitably connected together at their upper ends. 23 indicates a bar connecting the two lever structures 2122 together. 2-1 inclicates a hoisting rope or cable made'fast at one'end to a clevis 25 near'the upper end of the lever structure 21, thence passing around a pulley 26 on the end sill 11, thence around a pulley 27 at the upper end of the lever structure 21 and thence down around a pulley 28 swiveled to the said end sill 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. '29'indicates two long links connecting the lever structure 22 with the pivoted carrier-frame. It is believed that the parts thus far briefly 'referred to by the use of reference numerals need no further description here as their construction, arrangement and operation are well understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, they will be found to be described at some length in the Dain Patents No. 840,477, of January 8, 1907, and No. 867,248, of October 1, 1907. It will be'understood, however, that. ade not wish to confined to the use of such construction of machines as there shown, as it will be evident that our improvements are capable of being embodied in other constructions of baseframes and lifting mechanism than those above mentioned.

Turning now to the features of a haystacker that are more particularly involved in connection with our improvements-3O indicates two arms spaced apart and constituting the side members of the carrier-frame, the rear ends of said arms being pivotally connected at 31 to the ends of the cross-bar 11 of the supporting base. At the forward end of each pivoted arm 30 are secured two brackets 32, one at each side of each arm, each bracket having a portion that extends beyond the end of the arm to which it is attached. These forwardly extending portions are, in the construction shown, turned at right angles, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, and,

to such turned ends are bolted or otherwise secured a transverse cross-piece 33. Diagonal bracing members 34 secured to the said transverse piece 33 and to the side arms 30 aid in making the connection between these parts very rigid, so that the carrier-frame as a wholewill be very strong and durable.

Slidingly mounted upon the carrier-frame is a stacker-head frame comprising two parallel bars 35 resting upon the carrier-frame side bars 30 and movably secured thereto by suitable clips, or otherwise. As shown, each stacker-head bar is secured to its carrier-frame bar by two clips 36 and 37 each clip 36 being secured to an end of a stackerframe bar and embracing its underlying carrier-frame bar, and each clip 37 being secured to an end of a carrier-frame bar and embracing its overlying stacker-frame bar. The forward ends of the bars 35 are suitably secured to two cross-beams 38 and 39 that form a part of the stacker-head proper. 40 indicates two diagonal braces connected at their rear ends to the sides of the stackerhead bars 35 and at their forward ends to the cross-beams 3S and 39. 41 indicates the main teeth of the stacker-head and 42 the pitcher teeth thereof, arranged in the usual manner. The stacker-head frame described, (comprising the rearwardly-extending bars 35, the braces 40 and the stacker head proper), is capable of being projected or retracted as desired, of course,'by reason of the sliding engagement between it and the carrier-frame due to the use of the connecting clips 36 and 37. In such adjustments it is of great importance that both sides of the stacker-head frame be moved equally at all times, for if not so moved the adjustments will be made with much difficulty owingto the tendency that the clips 36 and 37 would develop for binding. Also, in addition to the annoyance and excess of effort required to make the desired adjustments in cases where the power is not applied equally and at the same instant, such adjustments are liable to strain and weaken the stacker-head frame as a whole. To insure the. proper application of the power and so overcome these serious objections, we provide the following instrumentalities Extending transversely of the machine and located directly in front of the forward ends of the pivoted carrier-frame is a shaft 43, which, as shown, is square in cross-section (see Fig. 4). This shaft extends through the brackets 32 that project forward from the side bars 30 of the carrier-frame. Upon this shaft 43 are two gears 44, the hubs of which have openings therethrough of a shape to fit the shaft, whereby independent rotation of the gears is prevented. Each gear 44 lies between the pair of brackets 32 extending forward from one of the carrierframe bars, and the hub of the gear is j ournaled in such brackets, the hub also having shoulders, as at 45 (see Fig. 5) to prevent lateral movement of the gear. The shaft may be moved longitudinally in the gears for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

46 indicates metal plates with holes 47 therethrougn at regular intervals,a plate 46 being attached by screws 48, or otherwise, to the under face of each stacker-head bar 35, such face having therein a series of re-' cesses 49 that register with the holes 47 in the attached plate. A single slot may be substituted for the series of recesses.- These holes and recesses receive the teeth of the gear below as such gears are rotated. Each plate 46 therefore constitutes a rack, and it is apparent that upon the turning of the shaft 43 and the gears 44 thereon the stackerhead frame will be moved through the action of the gears on their respective racks, and it will be equally apparent that both bars 35 must be acted on at the same time and to the same extent, and hence an even end steady advancement or retraction of the stacker-head be had.

For turning the shaft 43 we provide a lever 50 which is provided in its lower end with an opening 51 large enough to permit the squared shaft to pass freely through, such opening having a notch 52 communicat ing with it and of a size and shape to adapt the said shaft to snugly fit therein, whereby a movement of the lever will turn the shaft and the gears thereon. This operating lever 50 is located alongside the outer face of one of the outer bracket members 32 in convenient position to be operated by an attendant of the machine. The lever is secured to the shaft by a cotter-pin 53, between which and the lever is interposed a washer 54, (see Fig. 5). After a desired adjustment of the stacker-head has been made such head should, of course, be locked against accidental movement and this we accomplish by a novel means for locking the lever While it is still in operative connection with the shaft 43that is, while such shaft is in the notch 5:2. This locking of the lever is effected by the projection of a stud 55 extending from the outer face of the adjacent side arm 30 of the carrier-frame and entering a hole 56 (see Fig. 6) in the lever, which hole can only be in alinement with such stud when the lever is in its said position to operatively engage the shaft. In the construction shown the stud referred to is a bolt that acts also as one of the retaining bolts for the brackets 32 on the adjacent arm 30. The arm is held in secure locking engagement with thi stud by a coiled spring 57 on the shaft 43, said spring bearing at one end against the face of the inner bracket 011 the adjacent arm 30, or against the hub of the gear 44: journaled therein, and at its other end against a pin 58 or other suitable abutment on the shaft. The pressure of the spring tends to force the shaft longitudinally so that the washer 54c will bear firmly against the outer face of the lever.

In operation, with the parts arranged as shown, if it is desired to retract or advance the stacker-head and its supporting-frame relative to the carrier frame the lever will be given a pull in a direction away from the adjacent arm 30, the inner side of the lower end of the lever during this operat1on bearing against the outer bracket 32 as a fulcrum. This outward moving of the lever is of course against the power of the coiled spring 57 When the lever has been so moved out sufficiently to release it from the stud 55 it can be turned to rock the axle, and through the turning of the axle and the gears 44 fast thereon will of course cause a movement of the stacker-head by reason of the engagement of the said gears with the rack on the under faces of the stackerhead bars 35. To accomplish the desired adjustment of the stacker-head may require a number of strokesof the lever, and between successive strokes the lever is to be moved longitudinally so as to move it out of operative engagement with the shaft, the shaft then lying in the large opening 51 of the lever, thereby permitting the lever to be freely turned into position for the next effective stroke when it is to be pushed longitudinally to cause its notch 52 to again engage the shaft. It will thus be seen that in its operation of turning the shaft the lever is used substantially as would be'a spanner or ordinary wrench used under like conditions. When the stacker-head has been adjusted to the desired position, the lever is again brought into position alongside of the adjacent bar 30 of the stacker-head, after which the lever is to be moved endwise until its notch 52 fits over the shaft, and then forced outward against the action of the coiled spring 57 and shifted untilits hole 56 is in position to receive the stud 55; the lever then being released it will be locked in place by the stud and such locking is maintained by the tension of said coiled spring.

The improved construction herein shown and described provides a very convenient and desirable means whereby the stackerhead may be readily and quickly adjusted forward or back either a short distance by one stroke of the lever or a considerable distance by a number of strokes of the lever. No disassembling of parts is necessary to accomplish the adjustment of the stackerhead, and therefore the said head can be extended without loss of time while the stacker is'being built. Furthermore, the operator can maintain the machine in the particular adjusted position to best deliver the load of hay upon the stack in condition to make the least work for the man spreading the hay on the stack. It will be noted, also, that by the construction shown and de scribed the gears 44: are almost completely inclosed and thereby protected from lodgment thereon of hay, dirt or other material.

The fact that the stacker-head can be positively retracted as well as advanced or projected is a feature of very considerable importance for it sometimes will happen that in making a forward adjustment the stackerhead will be projected too much, and for the best results should be drawn back somewhat. Where provision is not made for positively retracting it it is difficult to properly adjust it, and if such retraction is attempted by raising the carrier-frame at an angle and then allowing the stacker-head to move back by gravity it is difficult to control so as to have it stopped at exactly the desired point, and there is always the danger in such a case that the stacker-head may acquire too great a momentum and descend with a smash. With our construction, however, gravity is not relied upon in effecting the retraction of the head, and by reason of the positive moving of the head by the attendant, in one direction as well as the other, perfect control of the head is had at all times and any desired adjustment readily secured.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame comprising two arms spaced a distance apart, brackets at each side of each arm and projecting beyond the forward ends of said arms and a crosspiece connected to the forward ends of said brackets, of a rotatable shaft, two gears fixed on said shaftone located between each set of brackets--a stacker-head frame movably connected to said bars of the carrier-frame, racks on said stacker-head frame with which said gears respectively engage, 130

and means for rotating the shaft to cause a projection or retraction of said stacker-head frame.

2. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame comprising two arms spaced a distance apart, brackets at each side of each arm and projecting beyond the forward ends of said arms and a cross piece connected to the forward ends of said brackets, of a rotatable shaft, two gears fixed on said shaftone located between each set of bracketsa stacker-head frame comprising two bars which overlie said two arms, means for sliding'ly connecting said arms with said bars, racks on the under faces of said bars and in mesh with said *gears, said brackets, bars, cross-piece and the ends of the arms of the carrier-frame forming housings for the gears, and means for rotating the said shaft to cause a projection or retraction of the stacker-head frame.

3. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame and a stackerhead -movably connected therewith, of a rack on said stacker-head, a rotatable shaft supported by said carrier-frame, a gear on said shaft and in mesh with said rack, and a lever mounted on the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, said lever being adapted to be fixedly connected to the shaft by an endwise movement of the lever, whereby said shaft can be turned by a stroke of the lever.

4. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame and a stackei head movably connected therewith, of a rack on said stacker-head, a shaft angular in cross section supported by said carrier-frame, a gear aflixed to said shaft and in mesh with said rack, and a lever mounted on said shaft and rotatable independently thereof, said lever having a notch adapted by an endwise movement of the lever to engage said shaft, whereby said shaft can be turned by a stroke of the lever.

5. In a hay-stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame and a stacker-head movably connected therewith, of a rack on said stacker-head, a rotatable shaft on said carrier-frame, a gear non-rotatably secured on said shaft and held in mesh with said rack, a lever mounted on said shaft and rotatable independently thereof but adapted by an endwise movement to be secured to the shaft whereby said shaft can be turned by a stroke of the lever, said shaft being movable longitudinally through said gear, when the lever is moved laterally, to permit said lever to pass over and engage a projection on the adjacent side arm of the carrier-frame.

6. In a hay stacker, the combination with a swinging carrier-frame and a stackerhead movably connected therewith, of a rack on said stacker-head, a rotatable and longitudinally-movable shaft on said carrier-frame, a gear non-rotatably secured on-said shaft and held in mesh with said rack, a lever mounted on said shaft adjacent to the outer face of one of the arms of the carrier-frame, a locking device on said outer face adapted to be engaged by said lever, and a spring on the shaft tending to draw said lever toward said adjacent arm, said lever being adapted to be loosely or fixedly connected to the shaft and also adapted when moved laterally to longitudinally move the shaft so as to permit the lever to engage said locking device or be disengaged therefrom.

LEON R. CLAUSEN. ROBERT R. BOWERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, D. C. 

